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IP and Economics

Intellectual property (IP) protection is an important component of national economic policies. Governments face complex choices on how to design an IP system that best serves their policy objectives, and how to respond to changes in technology and in business models that challenge the status quo.

WIPO seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the economic effects of different IP policy choices and to offer a first entry point for information on the economics of IP.

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Economics & Statistics Highlights – Information about new economics & statistics publications and tools from WIPO. 4-7 per year.

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Innovation Economics Themes

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Innovation Hotspots

Figuring out where innovators are and connecting them opens the gateway to a vibrant, global innovation ecosystem.

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Innovation Gender Gap

Studying the gender gap in the IP system is a step towards fostering a more inclusive innovation landscape.

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Innovating Towards Development

How can innovation improve social and economic performance of developing countries?

Creative Economy Notes

This interactive series draws on original economic research to stimulate thinking on how the intellectual property framework can best serve the creative industries.

Economic research portal

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Resources for Researchers

Find academic literature, data and tools in the field of the economics of innovation and intellectual property (IP).

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IP Statistics Data Center

Access to WIPO’s statistical data on intellectual property (IP) activity worldwide.

Economic effects of innovation policies

How do government policies impact innovation? We distill the economic thinking on the topic and provide empirical evidence to help inform policymakers of the dynamic effects of the different policies on innovation and economic growth.

WIPR

World Intellectual Property Report

WIPO’s flagship analytical publication that examines different themes of innovation. Published every two years.

Global Innovation Index

The Global Innovation Index (GII) provides detailed metrics about the innovation performance of more than 130 countries and economies around the world.

WIPO economic research working papers

Economic research papers produced by the Department of Economics and Data Analytics.

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Intellectual Property, Innovation and Economic Development series

This series of scholarly research is published in collaboration with Cambridge University Press. Each book in the series examines a major aspect of the interface between IP, innovation and economic development.

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Innovation, IP and Development

Empirical economic studies examining the impact of IP on innovation and economic growth in less-developed economies.

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Innovation and IP Research Guidelines

Collection of guidelines on best practices when conducting empirical research.

Related links

IP statistics

WIPO cooperates with IP offices across the world to collate, analyze and publish up-to-date statistics, including reports on IP filing activity worldwide. Find out more about WIPO statistics.